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Sango-Coin for Citizenship in the Central African Republic Is Illegal: the Constitutional Court Rules

According to reports, the Touadéra government’s offer of land and citizenship to purchasers of the sango coin is unconstitutional, as determined by a constitutional court in the Central African Republic. The nationality of the nation “has no market value,” according to the court, so the scheme to exchange sango coins for citizenship must be stopped.

Offering Land and Minerals to Sango Coin Investors Ruled Unconstitutional

A constitutional court has ruled that the government’s plan to grant full citizenship to investors in its sango coin cryptocurrency is illegal, which is likely to put the Central African Republic’s (CAR) cryptocurrency ambitions on hold. The government’s offer to sell land and access to minerals like gold to buyers of sango coins, according to the court, is also unconstitutional.

The court ruled that because the nation’s “nationality has no market value,” President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s administration cannot continue to guarantee citizenship to investors who spend $60,000 on sango coins.

Government Says It Respects Court’s Decision

Reacting to the ruling, a spokesman for the CAR presidency, Albert Yaloke Mokpeme, reportedly said the government will now look for other ways of rewarding sango coin holders with land and citizenship. He said:

We respect the court’s decision and we’re now looking at another way to offer land and citizenship to investors.

At the time of writing, President Touadéra, who has regularly tweeted about his government’s ambitions, has not issued a statement. On the other hand, the website tracking sango coin sales shows that there are over 194 million unsold coins more than a month after the token sale commenced.

The real estate, stock, gold, silver, and bitcoin markets are collapsing, according to Robert Kiyosaki, and “Millions Will Be Wiped Out.”

All markets are collapsing, according to renowned author Robert Kiyosaki of the best-selling book Rich Dad Poor Dad, who specifically mentions real estate, stocks, gold, silver, and bitcoin in his warning. That crash is here, Kiyosaki said, alluding to his earlier forecast of a more severe crash than that experienced during the 2008 financial crisis. Millions of people will perish.

Robert Kiyosaki Predicts Market Crashes

The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, is back with dire warnings about market crashes. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book co-authored by Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for over six years. More than 32 million copies of the book have been sold in over 51 languages across more than 109 countries.

Kiyosaki described in a tweet Friday that every market is crashing and the middle class will be wiped out by “higher oil inflation.” He wrote:

All markets crashing: real estate, stocks, gold, silver, bitcoin. Middle class wiped out by higher oil inflation.

On Sunday, he followed up with a tweet referencing a book he published in October 2013 titled “Rich Dad’s Prophecy: Why the Biggest Stock Market Crash in History Is Still Coming … And How You Can Prepare Yourself and Profit From It!”

He detailed that 2008 was a great time to get rich since everything “went on sale.” Noting his prediction of a bigger crash outlined in his book, the renowned author wrote: “That crash is here. Millions will be wiped out.”

Robert Kiyosaki Says Real Estate, Stocks, Gold, Silver, Bitcoin Markets Are Crashing — 'Millions Will Be Wiped Out'

Kiyosaki urged his 2 million Twitter followers to “get richer,” saying they should not be among the unlucky ones who perish. He said last week that “It’s not what’s in your wallet… “Change what’s in your head first… then get richer,” the speaker emphasized, adding, “It’s what’s in your head.”

The renowned author has previously issued several market crash alerts. He recently stated that stocks and bonds are collapsing and predicted the biggest bond crash since 1788. He further warned that inflation might trigger the Greater Depression while asserting that depression and civil unrest are on the horizon.

He admitted last week that listening to economist Harry Dent caused him to change his mind about treasury bonds. The author of Rich Dad Poor Dad has long advocated for investors to purchase gold, silver, and bitcoin while highlighting the U.S. dollar’s impending demise. He declared silver to be the best investment option at the time in July.

Kiyosaki has also been waiting for bitcoin to drop in price before purchasing. He stated in June that he would wait to purchase until the cryptocurrency tested $1,100. He noted that he had cash on hand and was ready to purchase bitcoin in July. BTC dropped below $20K this week. At the time of writing, the price of one bitcoin is $19,629, a decrease of more than 9% over the previous week. The current state of the cryptocurrency market is

Dubai Regulator Releases Guidelines for Virtual Assets Marketing and Advertising

The Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), Dubai’s virtual asset regulator, has released guidelines for digital asset marketing and promotion that are applicable to any entity using media outlets and publishing channels based in Dubai. The rules “ensure factual accuracy, explicitly demonstrate any promotional intent, and in no way misrepresent the guaranteed nature of their returns,” according to the statement.

Guidelines Applicable to Dubai Licensed VASPs

The Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), Dubai’s virtual asset regulator, recently released the rules governing the marketing and promotion of digital assets. The regulations, according to a Khaleej Times report, reflect the regulator’s goal to provide a legal framework that fosters economic opportunities without jeopardizing the security of the market.

The VARA guidelines cover “all forms of outreach, communications, and advertising, including publication of information, awareness raising, customer engagement, and/or investor solicitation,” according to the report. They also cover any virtual assets used by any organization to market to customers in Dubai specifically through media outlets and publishing channels based in Dubai.

“Guidelines further detail the obligations of Dubai licensed VASPs [virtual assets service providers] and any advertising platforms that are positioning VA [virtual assets] content across traditional and new-age media channels for the Dubai market,” the report continued. “These obligations include ensuring factual accuracy, explicitly demonstrating any promotional intent, and in no way deceiving on the nature of their returns, which are not guaranteed.”

Guidelines Ensure Users Get Needed Information Before Making a Decision

Kokila Alagh, the founder of KARM Legal Consultants, commented on the VARA’s announcement of its advertising guidelines, saying that the “regulations will go a long way in ensuring that users have the needed information before making their decisions.” The announcement, according to Crypto Oasis co-founder and CMO Faisal Zaidi, ensures businesses in the digital assets sector behave ethically, thereby assisting in protecting customers and investors.

The move “augurs well for Dubai’s ambitions to be among The top global destinations for cryptos, blockchain, and the metaverse,” according to Atul Hegde, the founder of YAAP, who is quoted in the report.

Binance will support the development of the blockchain ecosystem in the South Korean city of Busan.

The South Korean city of Busan is receiving assistance from Binance to “grow crypto adoption within the city and beyond.” The development of the city’s blockchain ecosystem as well as the Busan Digital Asset Exchange will be assisted by the international cryptocurrency exchange.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Binance and Busan Metropolitan City was signed, according to a Friday announcement from the cryptocurrency exchange. The second largest city in South Korea is Busan, which has a population of about 3.4 million and is situated on the southernmost point of the Korean peninsula.

According to the agreement, Binance will provide technical and infrastructure support to the city of Busan in order to foster the growth of the city’s blockchain ecosystem and the Busan Digital Asset Exchange.

The business continued, mentioning that it would be establishing a presence in Busan by the end of the year. “Order book sharing will be another form of cooperation between the two parties,” it said.

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said: “We are happy to be working with the city of Busan to bring tangible blockchain-related developments that benefit and support the city’s innovation efforts.” The executive opined:

Through our industry-leading position and technological expertise, combined with the city of Busan’s strong support for the blockchain industry, we hope to help grow crypto adoption within the city and beyond.

“We look forward to our close cooperation with the city to support the establishment of digital asset exchanges and various blockchain industries,” Zhao added. The mayor of Busan, Heong-Joon Park, commented:

With this agreement, we are one step closer to establishing the Busan Digital Asset Exchange as a global integrated platform for digital assets.

“By making Busan a blockchain-specialized city that is attracting worldwide attention, we will boost a new growth engine for the local economy and make it a global digital finance hub,” he further said.

Limitations on Purchasing Dollar and Euro Cash are Relaxed by the Russian Central Bank

Some restrictions on Russian banks selling dollars and euros to the general public have been loosened by the Central Bank of Russia. Since currency restrictions have been a major factor in driving up demand for digital coins, the country’s crypto market may be impacted by the increased foreign cash supply.

According to the Interfax news agency, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR) has lifted one of the limitations on the sale of U.S. dollars and euros in cash to private individuals imposed in response to Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.

Russians could previously only purchase dollars and euros that were sold to banks at their cash desks on or after April 9, 2022, by other real people. Now that they can also be acquired from other sources, the two convertible currencies may be sold by Russian lenders, according to the CBR.

The regulator clarified that these could incorporate cash deposits made abroad by Russian legal entities as well as transactions with non-resident banks. The adjustment will allow banks to increase the supply of cash dollars and euros, its press service said, noting that other restrictive measures will remain in place until March 9, 2023, as announced earlier this year.

In August, the Bank of Russia extended restrictions on U.S. dollar and euro cash withdrawals for another six months. At the moment, Russian banks are not limited in the sale of other foreign fiat currencies, the report notes.

After Moscow decided to invade Ukraine in late February, the West imposed severe economic and financial sanctions. They have restricted Russia’s access to the international financial system and its foreign exchange reserves.

The CBR’s currency restrictions caused a surge in interest in cryptocurrencies. Numerous Russians have been purchasing bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies, and stablecoins in order to use them, among other things, for international money transfers. It is unclear how their current loosening will impact the local cryptocurrency market. According to a recent survey, nearly a third of Russians are prepared to purchase coins in the upcoming six months.

Indian Central Bank Governor Warns of Potential Crypto Market Collapse and Losses for Small Investors

Shaktikanta Das, governor of the RBI, has issued a warning that small investors may lose money if the cryptocurrency market crashes. He continued by saying that the central bank thought its warnings had discouraged many people from making cryptocurrency investments.

The governor of the Indian central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shaktikanta Das, warned about investing in cryptocurrency in an interview with ET Now earlier this week.

Noting that the RBI has cautioned investors on several occasions about the risks of investing in crypto, Das said: “I’m happy that we sounded those warning signals and I would like to believe that a large number of people would have taken a note of the warning signals and the concerns expressed by the Reserve Bank.” He added:

I would like to believe … that many people did not invest in crypto or sort of pulled out of crypto thanks to the cautions and concerns that emanated out of the Reserve Bank.

“Crypto, you know, we have said it earlier, it can create a lot of financial instability in terms of the ability of the central bank to determine monetary policy,” the RBI governor continued. “It will also have an adverse impact on our exchange rate, on capital flows, on banking sector stability.”

Furthermore, Das cautioned that cryptocurrency has the “potential for being used as a tool for money laundering and for illicit transfer of money.” He also reiterated his earlier statement: “In fact, I said at one point that it doesn’t have any underlying, not even a tulip.”

The Indian central bank governor opined:

Something which doesn’t have an underlying, the prices will not remain high all the time so therefore it may crash, and it has crashed, ultimately … it is the small investors who lose money so therefore it is a big risk for the small investors.

Das stated that cryptocurrencies clearly pose a threat in July. He issued a crypto warning in May as the market was falling. The collapse of cryptocurrency terra (LUNA) and stablecoin terra USD led to the governor saying, “We have been warning against crypto, and look at what has happened to the crypto market now” (UST).

The RBI has suggested that the Indian government outlaw cryptocurrencies like ether and bitcoin. Nirmala Sitharaman, the finance minister of India, asserted that international cooperation is essential for regulation and prohibition to be successful.

India still doesn’t have a specific regulatory framework for cryptocurrency. The Indian government has been working on a crypto bill for several years but it has yet to be taken up in parliament. Recently, the finance minister asked crypto investors to exercise caution as authorities investigate a number of crypto exchanges in money laundering probes.

The Philippine Senate holds a hearing to discuss cryptocurrency regulation.

In a Senate hearing attended by several executives from the cryptocurrency industry, including from crypto exchange Binance, the central bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines discussed the regulation of cryptocurrencies.

During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions, and Currencies, which was presided over by Senator Mark Villar, Philippine regulators recently discussed cryptocurrency regulation with some executives from the industry, according to the Inquirer on Wednesday.

There were representatives from the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Leon Foong, director of Binance APAC, and Kenneth Stern, general manager of the exchange for the Philippines, are among the executives from the cryptocurrency sector. Lito Villanueva, the chairman of the Fintech Alliance, took part in the conversation as well.

During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions, and Currencies, which was presided over by Senator Mark Villar, Philippine regulators recently discussed cryptocurrency regulation with some executives from the industry, according to the Inquirer on Wednesday.

There were representatives from the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), and the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Leon Foong, director of Binance APAC, and Kenneth Stern, general manager of the exchange for the Philippines, are among the executives from the cryptocurrency sector. Lito Villanueva, the chairman of the Fintech Alliance, took part in the conversation as well. The Binance manager for the Philippines added:

78% of Filipinos remain unbanked, but crypto can help decrease that number as crypto asset holders will soon surpass the number of credit card holders in the country.

The representatives from the international cryptocurrency exchange also discussed the security and user protection procedures for the trading platform. The know your customer (KYC) procedure, cooperation with international law enforcement and banking organizations, and the digital asset listing procedure were among them. Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the CEO of Binance, stated in a tweet on Wednesday that his organization is “pushing crypto adoption” in the Philippines.

Participants in the discussion concurred that a sound regulatory framework is essential for the development of the cryptocurrency industry and that promoting financial literacy is essential for ensuring user protection. Binance has already partnered with a few local universities and professional organizations to provide free courses in decentralized finance, web3, the metaverse, blockchain technology, and cryptocurrency (defi).

Last week, the Philippine central bank warned the public about engaging with foreign crypto service providers. Earlier this month, the regulator said that it will stop accepting crypto license applications for three years.

Cryptocurrencies Should Be Treated the Same as Other Capital Markets, SEC Chairman Says

According to SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, the cryptocurrency market should not be treated any differently from other capital markets. Gensler urged cryptocurrency trading and lending platforms to “come in and talk to SEC staff,” noting that “the SEC will serve as the cop on the beat.”

Gary Gensler, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), wrote an opinion piece on how crypto assets ought to be governed that was published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday. He described:

There’s no reason to treat the crypto market differently from the rest of the capital markets just because it uses a different technology.

Recent market developments demonstrate the importance of crypto firms adhering to securities laws, according to Gensler. “Some cryptocurrency lending platforms have frozen their investors’ accounts or filed for bankruptcy in recent months. These investors must wait in line at the court when filing for bankruptcy.

No matter the financial product, whether it be an app, lending platform, cryptocurrency exchange, or decentralized finance (defi) platform, the SEC chairman emphasized that:

Across decades of cases, the Supreme Court has made clear that the economic realities of a product — not the labels — determine whether it is a security under the securities laws.

While acknowledging that “There are costs of complying with securities laws, just as there are costs to car makers of adding seat belts,” the SEC chairman pointed out that “there is a path forward.”

Gensler continued, stressing that “getting these platforms into compliance with the securities laws will benefit investors and the crypto market,” that he encourages crypto trading and lending platforms “to come in and talk to SEC staff.” The SEC’s head declared:

In the meantime, the SEC will serve as the cop on the beat. As with seat belts in cars, we need to ensure that investor protections come standard in the crypto market.

Gensler recently outlined what can be anticipated in terms of cryptocurrency regulation from the SEC. He has received harsh criticism for trying to regulate the cryptocurrency market primarily through enforcement. The head of the SEC added that while bitcoin is a commodity, the majority of crypto tokens have characteristics of securities and foresaw a large number of them failing.

Institutional Clients Show ‘Massive Crypto Interest,’ According to Bitstamp

A significant cryptocurrency exchange’s CEO, Bitstamp, claims that institutional clients are showing “massive crypto interest” on his trading platform. According to him, “many institutional companies are looking to enter the cryptocurrency market for the first time.”

Jean-Baptiste Graftieaux, the CEO of Bitstamp worldwide, discussed his thoughts on cryptocurrency regulation in an interview with Business2community that was released on Monday.

In response to a question about “crypto winter,” he said Bitstamp has “a very active licensing journey across all the regions, with 10 in progress globally.”

The executive continued, saying that in order to be “in a strong position to fully participate in the next bull run,” his cryptocurrency exchange will expand its regulatory footprint over the coming quarters. We see a strong trend on the institutional side, he said, going on to explain:

Many institutional companies are looking to make their first move into crypto – there is massive crypto interest from our institutional clients.

The CEO proceeded to discuss crypto regulation in Europe. “What we are experiencing today is not very smart in Europe,” he opined.

As an example, he explained that a crypto service provider wanting to do business in Europe must register with each country separately as a virtual asset service provider (VASP). Emphasizing that “Each country has its own requirements,” the Bitstamp boss noted:

So with MiCA coming in 18 to 24 months, that will be a game-changer because there will be a level playing field.

The Markets in Crypto-Assets ( MiCA) proposal was introduced by the European Commission in September 2020 to regulate the crypto market as part of its digital finance strategy. The European Central Bank (ECB) hopes that MiCA will help provide a harmonized legal framework for crypto assets.

“There will be one country where you can establish your activities as MiCA-compliant and then passport the activities across the different European countries,” Graftieaux described.

The Bitstamp CEO detailed, “I think we are seeing a good trend from the regulatory standpoint and we are engaging with regulators on an ongoing basis,” concluding:

Most regions and countries are looking into regulating crypto. The key risk here is around ensuring regulations are smart and they foster a level playing field.

Cyprus grants a cryptocurrency license to British fintech Revolut.

Cyprus has given the U.K.-based digital bank Revolut permission to offer cryptocurrency services to millions of customers on the European continent. According to the fintech company, the island nation will now have a European crypto hub thanks to regulatory approval.

Revolut, a pioneer in the neobank industry, has been given permission to work with cryptocurrencies and other digital assets by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). According to the upcoming regulations of the EU, the company intends to set up a cryptocurrency hub on the island to enable it to provide additional services to its 17 million European clients.

Following similar approvals in other markets, including Spain and Singapore, Revolut now has CySEC’s approval, the Cyprus Mail noted in a report. The fintech company with its headquarters in London will be able to increase its sales in several countries thanks to these licenses. Through its U.K.-registered entity, the platform will continue to provide services to its British customers, who make up the majority of its clientele.

Revolut wants to comply with the new regulations the European Union is getting ready to enact for the industry as the crypto hub project is realized. The online bank welcomes the EU-wide regulations and supports the European Parliament’s intention to support innovation while ensuring strong customer protection and preventing market abuse, a representative of the company told the fintech news outlet Altfi.

The remarks follow the EU Parliament’s agreement with the Commission and Council, along with other significant players in the 27-member bloc’s legislative process, on the draft of a ground-breaking bill titled Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA). The legislation will grant “passports” to service providers of crypto-related services, enabling them to serve clients throughout the EU within a single regulatory framework. Moreover, the Revolut spokesperson.

In establishing a hub for our crypto operations in the EU, we recognize that CySEC has in-depth knowledge of crypto and its efforts to be a leader in crypto regulation.

The English-language daily noted that the Commission has already licensed other significant players in the fintech and crypto asset space, including Crypto.com, Etoro, CMC markets, and Bitpanda. According to the company, Revolut conducted a thorough analysis of all EU nations before deciding on Cyprus, and it cited Cyprus’s “sophisticated and robust regulatory regime” as well as the strength of its current crypto industry as key deciding factors.

Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy Kyriacos Kokkinos said this spring, “I can tell you that Cyprus welcomes the use of digital and crypto assets, but we still need to be very careful and respect not only the regulations currently in place but also the absence of any regulations.” He insisted that Cyprus needs to be mindful of the EU frameworks and unveiled that the government in Nicosia had already drafted its own “very attractive bill on crypto assets and blockchain technology.”